Trust me, I don’t intend to publish past essays every week. I was going to write a new essay about my current run for our town’s Board of Education and I went back to read the essay I wrote when I first ran. For inspiration. Because I need it. The last thing I thought I’d do is run again for anything…least of all a seat on a board of education, especially these days. I’m sure you’ve all heard about the attacks, and sometimes violence, happening across the country at school board meetings--our town is no stranger to these occurrences. So, yeah…it was the last thing I wanted to do. And, I still have to win.
But with the threat of at least 165 local and national groups are trying to disrupt or block lessons on race and gender, I couldn’t leave just yet. Not if there was any possibility of standing against such wild accusations and misinformation. So, I’m running again. And when I checked in with my last essay about why I did such a thing then, it still resonated. Another reason why I wanted to post it again is because it has a letter in it from my Uncle Art, who passed away 3 years ago. If he knew I was running again, he’d jump for joy.
If you want to check out our candidates and platform, please do. We can use all the support we can get! And if you’re in Watertown on Oct. 13th, come visit us at Lasting Brass and say hello!
This is an excerpt – to read the whole thing, click here.
November 2, 2017
I’m running for the school board in my small Connecticut town. One of my tasks was to get as many of my friends and family as I could to write letters of endorsement for me. I emailed and posted my request and several days later, I got this from my Uncle Art in Florida:
Hi Cindy –
I am just now getting around to doing what I planned to do a couple of weeks ago. What is that?
Why congratulating you on running for the Board of Education!! This makes me think of a good future for all of us because I am sure you will win and after a couple of terms to get things straightened out in the schools and such you will run for the House or Senate from Conn. and start to get things straightened out in Washington!
I may not be around by that time but I want you to know I can dream now about how wonderful it will be then!!!
Other than that BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR RACE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS!!!
Is your Dad your manager?
Love from Art
This isn’t exactly the kind of endorsement letter I was looking for, but it sure is one I welcomed. Besides the blatant familial compliments, I share this letter for the following reasons:
1. It was my first letter of endorsement.
2. I want to assure my family that being a career politician is not what I have in mind.
3. I’m almost 60.
4. Uncle Art is 96.
Those last two points are important; getting involved in local politics is for people of any age.
In our town, we are not highly politicized; it used to be that the years they won, we were okay and the years we won, they were ok. But now it seems that many of us and them are not okay. We’re not satisfied to sit back and wait for the tide to turn away from the kind of daily blame and swamp-building of our current president. The most tragic loss for our country last November was not the results of the election, but the demise of the possibility of having a genuine, balanced conversation about government…of any kind. We need people using their time, energy and experience to bring reason back into our two (sometimes three) party democracy and not having to constantly be on the lookout for the next attack.
From where I stood…and admittedly that’s a little to the left…it was time for me to do something more than write essays and complain. At my age, I’m not contemplating a career in politics. Really. But age isn’t a limiting factor in becoming involved in some way or another. Running for office isn’t for everyone. Everybody can’t run.
But everybody can vote.
Your vote is your voice. Be heard.
I admire your courage in this time in America. School boards and students need people like you, it would be so easy to throw in the towel and no one would blame you. You go, girl!
You’ve convinced me. Usually I am the one thinking or saying, “Cindy! No! Don’t give up a minute of your precious, well-deserved writing time. Stop all that volunteering—and running for school board? It’s one of the most thankless positions on the planet.”
Right now, more than ever before, the next generation needs your thoughtful guidance. Good luck 👍🏻